SHOULD I TITHE WHILE PAYING OFF DEBT?

God promises that if we obey his commandments and follow his instructions we will be blessed.

It might not be a financial blessing. He might bless us in the form of good health or preventing a car accident. Maybe it’s a promotion at work or wisdom.

But the biggest change takes place in our hearts. Giving, even just a tithe, takes the focus off of ourselves and puts it on someone else.

It is difficult to quantify how God works, but I've come up with the following formula:

90% of our income + God > 100% of our income without Him.

or for those of us who like math: 90%+God > 100%-God

HE PROMISES TO BLESS US

My wife and I have been giving a tithe to our church for over a decade – even while we were in debt.

I look back and see how much money we’ve given, not just in tithes but in offerings as well. I get a thrill when we donate money to Longmeadow Rescue Ranch or send an extra gift to our sponsored child in India.

If we never started tithing then we wouldn't feel as good about our charitable giving.

TESTING GOD

Giving a tithe is not in the ten commandments, but it is in His instructions booklet for becoming a sold-out believer.

God challenges us to tithe. Yes, he CHALLENGES us to give 10% to our local church:

“Bring the whole tithe into he storehouse, that there may be food in my house. TEST ME IN THIS,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” – Malachi [3:10]

There was no exception for the poor

There was no disclaimer for special situations

He asks for the same amount regardless of income or wealth

If God says tithe then we should be faithful – even tithe while paying off debt.

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2 Comments

This one hits home. We have not been tithing through our debt reduction, and it doesn’t sit well with me. We have been giving, but not nearly 10%. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” I believe that we would be tithing out of compulsion if we did so at this point. It’s not a truth I’m proud of, but it is the truth. I admire you and other people striving to get out of debt who do tithe.

The passage you quoted addresses our spirit in giving. Yes, we should not feel that giving is a requirement, it is meant to change our hearts and make us more like Jesus (who gave it all).

I have seen it time and time again: Someone walks out in faith, such as tithing while paying off debt, and then they get a raise or a better job.

I was teaching a class and one student began tithing. About 2 weeks later their van had serious mechanical problems. They found an incredible deal on a replacement van that someone had just listed. It cost exactly the same amount as their emergency fund + trade in. Coincidence? Hmmmmm.